Groundwater In Rural Areas Research Articles

Assessment of Heavy Metal Contamination of Groundwater in Rural Areas of Duhok City, Iraq

This study investigates the quality of groundwater sources in the rural areas of Duhok City, Iraq, with a particular focus on heavy metal contamination, chemical composition, and properties of water. Water samples from 14 wells, serving as the main water source for the surrounding areas, were collected and analyzed. Water quality parameters including calcium (Ca²⁺), magnesium (Mg²⁺), chloride (Cl⁻), potassium (K⁺), and sulfate (SO₄²⁻) values ranged from 24 to 105.6 mg/L, 6.832 to 50.752 mg/L, 18 to 34 mg/L, 1 to 7 mg/L, and 3.4 to 38 mg/L respectively. Common heavy metals like manganese (Mn), lead (Pb), copper (Cu), and cobalt (Co) exhibited varying concentrations. Most parameters meet the WHO standards, except for the elevated potassium in one sample, requiring attention. Additionally, 50% of the sampled wells showed elevated cadmium (Cd) levels. Possible sources of contamination include industrial activities, agricultural runoff, and geological factors, highlighting the importance of ongoing monitoring and targeted interventions to ensure access to clean and safe water.

Analysis on the Chemical Characteristics and Genesis of Drinking Groundwater in Rural Areas of Suihua City, Northeast China

People living in the rural areas of Suihua City rely mainly on groundwater. Determining the chemical characteristics of groundwater and its impact on human health is very important to support drinking water safety engineering. We conducted a systematic study of water chemistry and human health by using software such as SPSS, SQLEVAL, MapGIS, and other methods such as statistical analysis, correlation analysis, Shukarev analysis, Piper’s trilinear plot analysis, scale factor analysis, and N.L. Nemerow index analysis. It is concluded that the cation in the groundwater is mainly of calcium type, and the anion is of mixed type of chloride, sulfate, and bicarbonate. The four types of water chemistry that account for greater than 10% of the total are 11-A, 4-A, 8-A, and 22-A. The chemical composition of groundwater is mainly controlled by rock weathering; Na+ and K+ come from rock salt and silicate rock; while Ca2+ and Mg2+ mainly come from carbonate rock. Cation Exchange interaction occurs in shallow groundwater. Fe and Mn in groundwater are mainly influenced by geological and lithological factors, while NO3 − and F− are mainly influenced by anthropogenic activity. This study is of great significance for the management of healthy drinking water in rural areas of Suihua City.

A Perspective on the Water Resources of Harirud Marghab and Investigation of the Quality of Groundwater in Rural Areas of Herat Province

A Perspective on the Water Resources of Harirud Marghab and Investigation of the Quality of Groundwater in Rural Areas of Herat Province

Health risk assessment of drinking groundwater in rural areas of Ru village and surrounding areas in Wutai County, China.

Nitrate pollution in groundwater is a global environmental problem that poses risks to human health. We investigate the health risks of nitrate in rural drinking groundwater in Rucun Township and surrounding areas of Wutai County, and provide a basis for healthy drinking water. By using statistical analysis software (SPSS19) and hydrogeochemical analysis software (AqQA), a qualitative and quantitative evaluation of nitrate health risks was conducted among populations of different ages and genders through water sample collection, chemical analysis, and construction of a human health risk model (HHRA). Through research, it was found that the average concentration of nitrate in the study area is 43.99 mg/L. Groundwater is severely polluted by NO3-, and nitrate pollution areas are mainly concentrated in the main human activity areas, especially in the main agricultural production areas. The Quaternary loess layer, as a permeable layer, cannot prevent groundwater from being polluted by NO3-. Through evaluation, it is believed that there is a health risk of nitrate pollution in rural drinking groundwater in Rucun Township and surrounding areas. Health risk level: infants>children>adult females>adult males. The discovery and evaluation results can provide a basis for the prevention and control of nitrate pollution in groundwater.

Identification of fecal contamination sources of groundwater in rural areas of Vhembe District Municipality, Limpopo Province, South Africa.

Groundwater is a valuable source of drinking water worldwide, recognized as an improved drinking water source. However, on-site sanitation systems may put groundwater at risk of fecal contamination. In the present study, two approaches were used to ascertain the sources of fecal contamination in groundwater used by communities of the Vhembe District Municipality. Overall, 87.5% of boreholes (n = 70) in the wet and 72.5% in the dry season were contaminated with Escherichia coli, and septic tank (n = 18) wastewaters displayed up to 104 cfu/mL E.coli. Host-specific Bacteroidales quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) assays established the presence of human (BacHum and HF183) and animal (Cytb, BacCan, and Pig-2Bac) genetic markers in groundwater from 15.7% of boreholes (wet) and 10% of boreholes (dry). No strong associations were founded between culturable E.coli counts and the presence/absence of marker genes for all the markers except for Cytb marker, which showed a weak significant correlation (r = 0.217; p = <0.01) between E.coli and the Cytb marker under dry seasonal conditions. Human markers and Cytb were present in the household septic tank wastewater samples. Significant differences in marker genes distribution in wastewater were observed using the Chi-squared test: HF183 (p = <0.001) and BacHum (p = <0.001). Overall, no association was recorded between markers in groundwater and in wastewater for 18 households' septic tanks. A combined culturable E.coli and host-specific Bacteroidales qPCR assays remain an appropriate approach for the identification of fecal contamination of groundwater. PRACTITIONER POINTS: Households primarily used private boreholes for drinking water, as a primary source. Most households used on-site sanitation systems, including ventilated improved pit latrines and flush toilets connected to septic tanks. Escherichia coli was detected in groundwater, and the sources of fecal contamination were humans and animals (pigs, dogs, and chickens). The presence of human and animal markers in groundwater suggests that humans and animals are liable for fecal contamination. Fecal contamination in drinking water sources poses a significant concern due to pathogenic microorganisms posing potential human health risks.

Health risk assessment of nitrate pollution of drinking groundwater in rural areas of Suihua, China.

In order to investigate the health risks of NO3- in rural drinking groundwater in Suihua, China and provide a basis for healthy drinking water, 40 sets of groundwater samples were collected in the Suihua area, and the average concentration of nitrate in the study area was 71.66 mg/L, statistical analysis software (SPSS19), Hydrogeochemical Analysis Software (AqQA) and groundwater pollution analysis software were used. Through water sample collection, chemical analysis and construction of human health risk model (HHRA), a qualitative and quantitative assessment of NO3- health risk was carried out for people of different ages and sexes, and it was concluded that there was NO3- pollution health risk in rural drinking groundwater in Suihua. Health risk level: infants > children > adult females > adult males. The evaluation provides a scientific basis for the prevention and control of NO3- pollution in groundwater and new ideas for preventing human health risks.

Water-Rock Action Analysis and Quality Evaluation of Shallow Groundwater in Rural Areas: A Case Study of Suzhou City, Northern Anhui, China

Groundwater is the main water source for humans and plays an important role in health and food production. To understand the hydrogeochemical characteristics and quality of shallow groundwater in rural areas of Suzhou, Anhui Province, China, 32 groups of shallow groundwater samples were collected. The results of the study showed that the nature of the groundwater is slightly alkaline. The order of abundance of cations is Ca2+ &gt; K+ + Na+ &gt; Mg2+, whereas that of anions is HCO3− &gt; Cl− &gt; SO42−. The main hydrochemical types are HCO3-Ca, HCO3-Mg, and HCO3-Na. Hydrogen and oxygen isotope abundances indicated that shallow groundwater recharge in the study area is due to precipitation and is affected by evaporation. The ion ratio analysis suggested that the ions in the shallow groundwater originate from the weathering of silicate minerals and the dissolution of carbonate and sulphate minerals, accompanied by different degrees of ion exchange. Water quality evaluation indicated that the water is good and can be used directly as agricultural irrigation water.

Exploring the Causes of Manganese Pollution in Groundwater and Prevention Measures in Rural Areas

Most rural areas are still drinking groundwater directly, and some of them have the condition that the content of manganese in groundwater exceeds the standard, which adversely affects the health and life of villagers. The article summarizes the causes of groundwater pollution in rural areas, and puts forward the prevention and control measures available for manganese pollution in groundwater in rural areas, in order to provide a reference for groundwater pollution management in rural areas of China and to ensure the safety of drinking water for residents.

Analysis and Visualization of the Fluoride Hazard Quotient in the Groundwater of Rural Areas in Northwestern Region of Ajmer District, Rajasthan, India

Abstract: Groundwater contamination by fluoride is a major concern in many regions of India. Fluoride in excess is one of the most harmful pollutants to human health. Water contains about 80% of the total fluoride acquired in the human body (mg/kg/day). The health risks connected with fluoride-rich ground water must be evaluated. Ajmer district (25°38'-26°58' N: 73°54'-75°22' E) covers an area of 8481 km2. The district's principal geomorphic characteristics include alluvial plains, linear ridges, pediment, denudation hill, buried pediment, and structural valleys. During this study, 15 villages in the northwestern district of Ajmer were sampled. The fluoride exposure dose, which is an individual's chronic daily absorption of fluoride by eating, was determined for infants, children, and adults; a hazard quotient greater than one suggests the possibility of detrimental health effects. The Hazard Quotient for fluoride in the research region was mapped using Inverse Distance Weighting (IDW) interpolation. The HQ analysis showed that all readings above the permissible limit of one, with values ranging from 1.01 for Pushkar to 4.38 for nearby Hokhra. The average fluoride value for the whole research region was 2.73, with a standard deviation of 0.950. Fluorosis appears to be caused mostly by fluoride-rich waterways in the region. Decomposition, dissociation, and dissolution are the primary chemical events responsible for fluoride mobility and transit into groundwater. Low-cost fluoride control strategies include mixing, artificial recharge, effective irrigation systems, and well construction.

A Perspective on the Water Resources of Harirud Marghab and Investigation of the Quality of Groundwater in Rural Areas of Herat province

A Perspective on the Water Resources of Harirud Marghab and Investigation of the Quality of Groundwater in Rural Areas of Herat province

Development of multidimensional food security index for Rajasthan, India: A district-level analysis

ABSTRACT The present study tries to analyze the status of food security and its various components, such as food availability, accessibility, stability, and utilization with the help of a multidimensional index across districts in Rajasthan, India, based on an indicator approach. The results confirm that there is a wide range of inequalities in terms of food security across districts. The Jaipur was found to be the most food-secure in Rajasthan due to relatively higher food accessibility. Conversely, lower food availability and accessibility contributed to the lowest food security in Banswara. Hence, study recommends: (i) diversification from farm to nonfarm activities; (ii) sufficient storage capacity to control price fluctuations throughout the year; (iii) promotion of water management and conservation technologies; (iv) regulation and replenishment of groundwater in rural areas for augmenting cropping intensity; (v) district-specific policies to arrest food insecurity; and (vi) strengthening the coverage of the rural employment program, i.e. MGNREGA.

Evaluating configuration of dual unit ceramic filter for arsenic removal from highly contaminated groundwater.

Iron (Fe) amended dual unit ceramic filters (DUCF) can be a viable treatment option for arsenic (As) removal from highly contaminated groundwater. The present field study investigated the effect of filter configurations, the separate-unit dual filter (SUDF) and connect-unit dual filter (CUDF), on As removal from groundwater having As concentration of 475μg/L. SUDF was configured by placing 1st and 2nd filter units side-by-side, whereas the 1st filter unit was placed on the top of the 2nd filter unit in CUDF configuration. Comparing the two filter configurations, SUDF achieving As concentration in the effluent below 50μg/L (standard value) was found more effective due to sufficient Fe2+ in the 2nd filter. Average As concentrations in the final product (effluent of 2nd filter) were 43μg/L from SUDF and 111μg/L from CUDF. The short hydraulic residence time (3.3min) in the 2nd filter of CUDF, along with limited contact between water and the iron net, lead to inadequate soluble Fe2+ resulting in poor As removal. Both filter configurations effectively removed Fe, P, and Mn with more than 90% reduction of these parameters by the 1st filter. Analysis of insoluble hydrous ferric oxides flocs through XAFS L3-edge spectra confirmed the oxidation of As(III) to As(V) in both the SUDF and CUDF systems resulting in enhanced As removal efficiency. The study results found SUDF as an appropriate configuration for filter design to treat highly contaminated groundwater in rural areas of developing countries.

Seasonal assessment of Faecal Contamination in groundwater in rural areas of Goharganj, district Raisen (Madhya Pradesh), India

In rural areas, bacterial contamination in drinking water quality is a growing concern throughout the world.The present study dealt with seasonal assessment of faecal contamination in rural areas of Goharganj,district Raisen. Forty sites were sampled and analysed for T. coliform, F. coliform and F. streptococcus byusing multiple tube fermentation technique for premonsoon, postmonsoon and winter season for a periodof two years from 2018-2020. The average bacterial count (MPN/100 ml) of T. coliform was found to be 4.61,5.31, 5.08, and for F. coliform 2.95, 3.45, 3.37 and for F. streptococcus 1.8, 2.21, 1.94 for premonsoon,postmonsoon and winter season respectively. The highest bacterial count was found in postmonsoon seasonpreceded by winter and premonsoon season. This was construed as a major concern for the humans andposed a health risk for the consumers of such contaminated drinking water. In near future, the rural areasmay have community programmes for the eradication of unhygienic practices and safe drinking water.

Thyroid-disrupting effects caused by exposure to alternative flame retardants from groundwater contamination in rural central China

Accumulating evidence reveals that exposure to alternative flame retardants (AFRs) results in defective thyroid functions. AFRs are detectable in various environmental media in developed cities in China. However, few studies have reported the contamination levels of AFR in groundwater in rural areas, indicating an urgent need to investigate exposure of AFRs and perform health risk assessment for populations that use groundwater as the main source of drinking water. This study investigated the concentrations of AFRs in groundwater in rural areas of central China. Moreover, Nthy-ori-3-1 cells were used to determine the thyroid cytotoxicities and thyroid–interfering effects of a single AFR as well as the mixtures of AFRs based on the AFR contamination levels in real-world. The results revealed that all classes of AFRs were detectable in rural areas in central China. Dechlorane plus, hexabromocyclododecane, bromophenols (BPs), novel brominated flame retardants (NBFRs) and organophosphate flame retardants (OPFRs) exhibited spatial contamination patterns, with an average concentrations (median) of 157.89 ± 88.61 (185.47) pg/L, 0.09 ± 0.29 (not detectable) ng/L, 5.20 ± 5.92 (3.43) ng/L, 3338.11 ± 3758.78 (2836.72) pg/L, and 79.35 ± 97.19 (53.62) ng/L, respectively. The half maximal effective concentrations (EC50) of BPs, OPFRs, and NBFRs ranged 98.4–4012 μM, 42.0–2506 μM, and 10.1–203.7 μM, respectively. Several AFRs exhibited more cytotoxic effects than did traditional brominated flame retardants. It is intriguing that several single AFRs and mixtures at environmentally-relevant exposure levels promoted the viability of Nthy-ori-3-1 cells. Taken together, our study demonstrates that AFRs are present in the groundwater in rural areas in central China and AFRs exhibit thyroid disrupting effects.

Fluoride contamination of groundwater and its threat to health of villagers and their domestic animals and agriculture crops in rural Rajasthan, India.

In India, Rajasthan is the largest state and has seven divisions, namely Ajmer, Bharatpur, Bikaner, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Kota and Udaipur. Villagers of these regions, generally, used groundwater for drinking and irrigation purposes. The basic sources of groundwater in rural areas are hand pumps, step wells and borewells. Water of most of these sources is contaminated with fluoride (F) with varying amounts. Water of > 60% these sources has F beyond the recommended country standard (1.0 or 1.5ppm) especially in tribal rural areas of Rajasthan. The highest F range, 0.1-34.0ppm, has been found in groundwater of these sources in the villages of Ajmer division and the lowest 0.1-6.8ppm in the Kota. Drinking of fluoridated groundwater for a long time is not safe for health and causes serious fluorosis disease in humans and domestic animals. In Rajasthan, around 40 lakh people are affected with fluorosis which is the highest in the country. At the F range of 1.3-6.7ppm, the maximum prevalence of dental and skeletal fluorosis in villagers and bovine animals was found 84.0% and 32.7% and 88.9% and 37.8%, respectively. Using fluoridated groundwater in irrigation is also harmful and reduces crops productivity. In this communication, division-wise F distribution in groundwater of rural Rajasthan, F-induced diverse adverse health consequences in villagers and their domesticated animals and agriculture crops and preventive measures for control of F intoxication are critically reviewed. Findings of this review are useful in implementation of health policy for the mitigation of F poisoning in rural Rajasthan.

Measuring and Mapping Food Security Status of Rajasthan, India: A District-Level Analysis

The present study tries to analyse the status of food security, along with its various components, such as food availability, accessibility, and stability with the help of a multidimensional index across districts of Rajasthan, India based on an indicator approach. The QGIS mapping computer application and quintile method were used to map districts into low, medium, high, and very high categories. Furthermore, multiple regression analysis was applied to find out the significant determinants of food security and its respective components. The results confirm that there is a wide range of inequalities in terms of food security and its components of availability, accessibility, and stability across districts. It was found that the Ganganagar district (0.407) was rated the most food-secure district due to relatively higher food stability (0.401) in the Rajasthan state. On the contrary, lower food availability (0.084) and accessibility (0.183) contributed to the lowest food security in the Dungarpur district. Moreover, districts associated with dry regions are highly vulnerable and relatively less food secure compared to districts having surface irrigation facilities. Hence, the study recommends; diversification from farm to non-farm activities; sufficient storage capacity to control price fluctuations throughout the year, formulation and dissemination of climate-resilient technologies; investment in infrastructure, promotion of water management, conservation technologies, regulation and replenishment of groundwater in rural areas for augmenting cropping intensity; district-specific policies to arrest food insecurity; and strengthening the coverage of rural employment programme, i.e. MGNREGA.

Distributed treatment of rural environmental wastewater by artificial ecological geographic information system

The existing extensive domestic sewage discharge methods and simple sewage pipe network collection modes in rural China not only cannot guarantee high sewage collection efficiency, but also fail to achieve rain and sewage diversion, resulting in the deterioration of living environment, the serious pollution of surface water and groundwater in rural areas, and even directly threatening the quality of the water environment. Therefore, accelerating the researches on rural domestic sewage treatment technologies and the scientific and effective treatment of rural domestic sewage as much as possible is a very important task at present, which is of great significance to the overall improvement of China’s rural environment. Therefore, on the basis of summarizing and analyzing previous research works, taking a town in Xuzhou City, Jiangsu Province, China as an example, this paper expounds the research status of rural domestic sewage treatment and its significance in improving rural environment, elaborates the development background, current status and future challenges of rural domestic sewage treatment technologies, introduces the related works of other scholars and the research area of this paper, analyzes the systematic mode of ecological treatment of rural domestic sewage, proposes the systematic mode of biological treatment of rural domestic sewage, conducts technological mode analysis of rural domestic sewage treatment, implements the effect evaluation of rural domestic sewage treatment, describes the impact of domestic sewage treatment on rural environment indicators, explores the improvement of the rural environment by domestic sewage treatment, discusses the applicability evaluation of different rural domestic sewage treatment technologies, and finally performs the quantitative description of the effect of domestic sewage treatment on the improvement of rural environment. The study results show that In the town of Xuzhou City, part of the mixed sewage is absorbed by the remediation plants, and part of the pollutants in the process of infiltrating the subsoil are intercepted by the soil medium, or absorbed, utilized or fixed by the roots of the remediation plants, or transformed by the microorganisms in the soil, and degraded into non-toxic or low-toxic components. The integrated technology refers to the small and medium-sized sewage treatment device developed by combining the pretreatment, secondary and advanced treatment technologies of rural domestic sewage, which is an important development direction of rural domestic sewage decentralized treatment technology. The study results in this paper provide a reference for further researches on treatment and technology of domestic sewage for improvement of rural environment in China.

WITHDRAWN: Health risk assessment on heavy metal pollutants of groundwater on human safety in rural areas.

Ahead of Print article withdrawn by publisher.

Health risk assessment due to fluoride exposure from groundwater in rural areas of Agra, India: Monte Carlo simulation

The present study deals with the assessment of the fluoride concentration from 60 different spatially distributed well locations and associated health risks to rural residents in the Achhnera block of Agra, Western Uttar Pradesh, India. Monte Carlo simulation and sensitivity analysis were applied to quantify uncertainties in risk estimation. Assessment of the human health risk was carried out using computations based on fluoride ingestion (EDIing), dermal absorption of fluoride (EDIder) and hazard quotient (HQ) in all three categorized groups, i.e., infants, children, and adults. Fluoride concentration analyzed was found to be ranging between 0.15 and 2.50 mg/L with an average value of 1.51 mg/L. More than 58% of samples analyzed surpassed the permissible level as per drinking water specifications. From the model obtained for non-carcinogenic risk due to water ingestion, values of IRw range between 55.4% and 62.5% in all the three exposure groups, while that of Cw ranges between 37% and 42.8%. Based on the HQ investigation it was found that infants were at maximum risk followed by children and the least affected were adults. Results showed that based on the sensitivity analysis, a definition of the probability distributions of CW, IRw, EF and SA is presented as the main factor to improve the accuracy of the result.

Usos múltiplos da água por usuários outorgados nas bacias hidrográficas dos Rios Aguapeí e Peixe

A demanda crescente por recursos hídricos pode gerar conflitos entre diferentes usuários. Para tal, foram implantados instrumentos de gestão de recursos hídricos, em especial a outorga de direito de uso, que priorizar os usos múltiplos e racional da água. O trabalho foi realizado com o objetivo de analisar o perfil e a distribuição dos usos de água outorgados em relação aos aspectos socioeconômicos nos municípios que compõem o Comitê das Bacias Hidrográficas dos Rios Aguapeí e Peixe (CBH-AP). Foram analisados dados de outorgas de 58 municípios com dos quais foi elaborada estatística descritiva para a discussão sobre o cenário dos usos múltiplos da água outorgados. Posteriormente os dados foram submetidos à análise estatística de regressão múltipla, na qual foi analisada a relação entre o número de outorgas por município e seus respectivos parâmetros socioeconômicos. Os resultados demonstraram as outorgas nos municípios que compõem a área de abrangência do Comitê das Bacias Hidrográficas dos Rios Aguapeí e Peixe estão relacionadas principalmente ao uso de águas subterrâneas em áreas rurais. Nos três municípios (Bastos, Dracena e Tupã) concentram 26% das outorgas analisadas. O aumento IDHM e da população, concomitantemente, estimulam o crescimento do número de outorgas. Com isso, verifica-se a necessidade de implementação de políticas públicas que colaborem direta ou indiretamente para o aumento da regularização do uso da água.Palavras-chave: Recursos Hídricos; Água Doce; Governança da Água; Oeste Paulista; Políticas Públicas. Multiple uses of water by users granted in the hydrographic basins of the Aguapeí and Peixe rivers A B S T R A C TThe growing demand for water resources can generate conflicts between different users. To this end, water resources management instruments were implemented, in particular the granting of the right to use, which prioritize the multiple and rational use of water. The work was carried out with the objective of analyzing the profile and the distribution of water uses granted in relation to socioeconomic aspects in the municipalities that make up the Hydrographic Basins Committee of the Aguapeí and Peixe Rivers (CBH-AP). Grant data from 58 municipalities with which descriptive statistics were analysed and prepared for the discussion on the scenario of the multiple uses of water granted. Subsequently, the data were given to the multiple regression statistical analysis, in which the relationship between the number of grants per municipality and its socioeconomic parameters was analyzed. The results demonstrated the grants in the municipalities that comprise an area covered by the Hydrographic Basins Committee of the Aguapeí and Peixe rivers are mainly related to the use of groundwater in rural areas. In the three municipalities (Bastos, Dracena and Tupã) concentrate 26% of the analyzed grants. The increase in MHDI and population, at the same time, stimulates the growth in the number of grants. Thus, there is a need to implement public policies that collaborate directly or indirectly to increase the regularization of water use.Keywords: Water resource; Freshwater; Water governance; São Paulo western; Streamflow regionalization; Public Policy.